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Home Animals Watch Mother Elephant Help Newborn Stand For First Time

Watch Mother Elephant Help Newborn Stand For First Time

Share this incredible sighting with your friends:The miracle of life was witnessed by Brett Marneweck, an experienced field guide, and his fellow travelers, when an elephant gave birth within full view of their vehicle in the Sabi Sand game reserve. What made the viewing all the more special was how the elephant’s Mom came alongside…

Heather Djunga
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The miracle of life was witnessed by Brett Marneweck, an experienced field guide, and his fellow travelers, when an elephant gave birth within full view of their vehicle in the Sabi Sand game reserve.

What made the viewing all the more special was how the elephant’s Mom came alongside the little one when he battled to stand. She helped him up to his feet, again and again, before wobbly and still a little unsure of himself, he leaned against her to suckle for the first time.

An ordinary viewing experience transforms into something extraordinary

Brett explained they had headed out for an afternoon safari, planning to have a sundowner overlooking a nearby dam. He said they spotted an elephant which appeared to be in distress and getting out their binoculars, soon realised they were witnessing a miracle.

“Shocked and in awe, I realized it was an elephant giving birth!”

Remaining sensitive to the situation, they repositioned their vehicle to ensure it didn’t cause any additional stress to the mother elephant.

“In our process of moving, we lost sight for a minute, and when we eventually regained visual, the calf was already out. Laying on the ground a newly born elephant calf!”

Elephant mother shows nervousness of new mom

Standing on one’s feet as a newborn is no easy feat; and the same is true for elephants! This newborn elephant kept on falling down, sending his mom into a panic.

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It seemed she was a new mom, as Brett explained. She turned away a moment and displayed the nervousness, excitement and curiosity new moms can relate to.

However, in spite of her lack of experience having her own elephant calf, she turned out to be a ‘natural’ at motherhood.

She knew instinctively to step in as Mom and support her little one.

In spite of her inexperience, she helped the little one up – again and again – using her trunk. However awkward her attempts were, they were filled with heartwarming love!

Mother elephants and other females in the herd will typically help the newborn elephants to their feet.

Brett explained the miracle here wasn’t just the elephant’s actual birth, but the way the mother elephant helped her little one to its feet, in spite of her ‘new mom’ angst.

A triumphant moment

The baby elephant finally stood in a triumphant moment which no doubt the viewers in the car will never forget. The baby leaned against Mom for support and attempted to suckle.

Said Brett: “We knew it was time to leave the new family and their peaceful bonding. We wanted to give them the space they needed to nurture their connection without any interruptions. It’s these moments that remind us of the preciousness of life and the intricate balance of nature. Such moments inspire us to cherish our planet’s diverse inhabitants and their remarkable journeys through existence.”

At birth, a baby elephant will typically weigh around 200 to 300 pounds. This is the weight of a fully grown human being! Newborn elephants are also around 3 feet tall at the shoulder – taller than most children!

However, in spite of these impressive measurements, they will still be significantly smaller than their adult counterparts.

After birth, it takes only a few minutes before elephant calves are able to stand on their own! Even more miraculous: calves are then able to walk usually within one to two hours of birth.

Watch the sighting:

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